Sunday, July 17, 2016

The highly
publicized Senate expenses scandal resulting in criminal charges against several
Canadian senators has come sputtering to an end with the last fraud case
dropped.

“It’s official, I’m
back in the Senate,” said an elated Sen. Patrick Brazeau.

He had just learned
that prosecutors were withdrawing fraud and breach of trust charges concerning
his expense claims.

Assistant Crown Attorney
Suzanne Schriek told Judge Robert Maranger the prosecution believes there was
no longer any “reasonable prospect of conviction” after the acquittal of Sen.
Mike Duffy in April on similar charges.

“Having seen the ‘proof’
against me, what a waste of time and taxpayer’s money – perhaps that’s the real
scandal,” Brazeau said.

The Senate ordered
Brazeau to repay $55,000 in housing expenses and continues to pursue others for
amounts it believes were inappropriately claimed.

After Duffy’s
high-profile, 62-day trial in which he was acquitted of fraud, breach of trust
and bribery, the Senate dropped charges against retired Sen. Mac Harb.

Police then decided
not to proceed with any charges against Sen. Pamela Wallin whose expense claims
were under review.

Sunday, July 10, 2016

Federal Member of
Parliament Jason Kenney is calling on former prime minister Stephen Harper to
help him “unite-the-right” in Alberta.

The Calgary
politician has decided against making a bid to succeed Harper as Conservative
leader to instead seek to become leader of the party in the western province.

He plans to resign from
his federal position on Oct. 1 when the Alberta leadership race begins.

An endorsement from
Harper would be “more than welcome” to unite Alberta’s right-wing parties – the
Conservatives and Wildrose.

This would be an
attempt to defeat the ruling socialist New Democrats led by Premier Rachel
Notley in the 2019 election.

A merged
“free-enterprise party” would bring back the “Alberta Advantage” slogan of the long-gone
days of balanced budgets and huge oil and gas revenue surpluses that are under
attack by the New Democrats’ policies, Kenney said.

Other measures
would include scrapping the planned carbon tax and review the government’s
moves to cancel the flat income tax system and raise corporate taxes.